Into a Man of Few Words
by allred12
Summary: It is 1994 and Opie is wearing his new cut for the first time. Searching for love and meaning while being a prospect for SAMCRO is not easy. Begins slow, rated for later chapters.


Disclaimer: I do not own _Sons of Anarchy_.

**Into a Man of Few Words **

_Fall 1994_

The new leather felt heavy and stiff on his shoulders. Opie Winston was acutely aware of every move that he made as the too big and brand new black cut announced who he was to any and every passerby. The patch on his lower back clearly read 'Prospect'.

Jax and Opie were running an errand for the club. Ever since he had dropped out of school the previous fall, Opie's day had been filled with nothing. He would read motorcycle manuals and occasionally work on cars and bikes at Teller-Morrow, but overwhelmingly his days had been boring. Finally being able to be a SAMCRO prospect had been the most exciting thing that had happened to Opie in months.

"You missed the turn," Jax said from the passenger seat.

"What?"

"Op, you missed the turn. Are you alright man?" Jax asked. Unlike Opie, the new cut seemed to lighten all the weight on Jax's shoulders. When Jax had dropped out of school, his girlfriend has protested, but that hadn't stopped him. Jax was perfectly content to spend nights with Tara and endless days at Teller-Morrow hanging around club members and fixing cars.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." Opie mumbled as he spun the van around and drove back to make the turn. They had been sent to check on Otto's wife Luann. So far the errands assigned to the new prospects had been menial: checking up on people, waiting for shipments to arrive, and waiting for phone calls. So once again Opie felt as if his days were filled with nothing. At least today they would go into a porn studio and maybe see something interesting, see Luann acting in a porno or something.

Otto was a strange but nice guy. He was facing jail time, six years, that would begin soon, and as such he was being extremely protective of Luann and trying to get her out of the porn business. At times, Opie wished that he could be like Jax or Opie, have someone else in the world that he wanted to be around and that wanted to be around him. Opie wanted a girl. But at other times, he thought that maybe he didn't want to drag someone into what would soon be his life. His mom had left his pop because she couldn't handle the life, she couldn't handle being affiliated with SAMCRO.

"Opie, you missed another turn. Pull over and I'll drive," Jax said sounding frustrated now. The two had been friends for as long as Opie could remember, they had been raised together. Jax was used to Opie's moments of silent thinking. Jax was the talker and Opie was the silent intimidator. Tall and bigger than most his age, Opie's physical presence contradicted his quiet nature. He knew that many people feared him already, and perhaps that was why he was so nervous to wear the cut: he did not want to give people another reason to not approach him.

With Jax driving, the pair quickly arrived at the filming studio on the edge of Oakland. Slamming the doors to the van, they both got out and approached the studio.

Entering the studio, both boys had a clear view of two men making out and Luann sitting in a director's chair.

"Cut! Boys, what do you think you are doing?" Luann demanded as she rose from her director's chair.

Jax answered quickly, lying without a beat. "We were just checking up on you. Some drama going on in Oakland, and Otto wanted to make sure that you are doing okay."

"Okay. Well you be sure to tell Otto that I am fine. And by the way boys, those cuts look good on you." Luann said as she gently guided the boys outside by placing hands on their backs, right above the prospect patch. "Now get out of here so I can keep filming," she ordered.

Jax and Opie left the studio and headed back to the van. "Let's get some food before we go back to the club house."

"Sounds good to me," Opie said as he got back in the driver's seat.

Opie parked in front of a local Charming diner. The two jumped out and grabbed a seat at the bar.

"Well boys, what'll it be?" asked the young waitress who made her way over to them. Opie had never seen her before, but she looked young, as if they could have gone to school together.

"Two coffees," Jax ordered effortlessly. Opie found himself at a loss of words as he watched the retreating figure of the waitress.

"Do you know her, Jax?" Opie asked.

"Who?"

"The waitress. Have you seen her before? I feel like I recognize her or something," Opie replied as he continued to look at the form of the waitress as she prepared more coffee and smiled while she served customers.

"No, I've never seen her before in my life. Come on Opie, let's order quickly and get back to the club house. I don't feel like getting in trouble for being off the radar for too long."

Back in the club house, Opie could not get the waitress off his mind. But being distracted at the clubhouse was not the best thing for him.

"Go get more kegs from out back." Bobby's blunt order startled Opie out of his distractions. Opie pushed himself up from his barstool and made his way out side. Piney followed his son to the back of the clubhouse.

"You okay son? You haven't been yourself since you put on the cut," Piney inquired.

"That is sort of the point, isn't it Pop? This cut is supposed to change me just like the process is supposed to change me, just like lifting this keg by myself is supposed build character and brotherhood," Opie mumbled as he groaned and lifted the keg. Piney patted his son on the shoulder and left. As Opie struggled with the keg, he again let his mind wander.

Opie had been promised to SAMCRO since birth. His father, First 9 and Vice Present, there was no other path for Opie, especially since he had dropped out of school. Opie had liked school, but he had liked hanging out at the club house with bikes and friends more. But the more Opie hung around the club, the more he realized that being a member meant a life of crime. The waitress popped back into Opie's mind. Yet, it wasn't a happy thought. Why pursue her, why drag her into a lifestyle that she probably was not prepared to handle. Why would any girl want to be with Opie when he was just turning into trouble.


End file.
